Walter Kendall Herlihy

Walter Kendall Herlihy, lovingly known as “Buzz,” peacefully passed away on November 27, 2022. He leaves behind his loving family: his wife Sabina Herlihy; children Robert Herlihy and his wife Soriya, Christopher Herlihy and his wife Emily, Molly Deschenes and her husband Peter, Katie Herlihy, Maura Herlihy and her partner Jay, Michaela Herlihy, Michelle Doyle and her husband Danny, Debbie Jones and her husband Ian, Lynne Carty and Samantha Carty; grandchildren Fred and Sophie Deschenes, Anna and Henry Herlihy, Lucy and Lily Cattan, Ivory Woodson, Reya and Olina Jones and Leo and Reese Doyle; siblings Ann Quinn, Jean McDonald, Patricia Howard, Kathleen Kendrick, Thomas Herlihy, Claire Shaw; and a large clan of in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins who loved him deeply. He was predeceased by his siblings Henry Herlihy, Daniel Herlihy, Mary Poland, Paul Herlihy, William Herlihy, and John Herlihy.

Buzz was born on June 13, 1944 to the late Walter Henry & Marie Ange (Bergeron) Herlihy in Somerville, Massachusetts. He was the seventh child of thirteen children. Growing up in Somerville, he could be found on the basketball courts daily. He proudly played for his high school basketball team at St. Mary’s in Cambridge, cementing his lifelong love of the game.

Buzz left Somerville in pursuit of higher education at Stonehill College, with time spent training in the Marine Corps at Parris Island, SC. After the Marine Corps, he returned to Stonehill where he completed his BS in Philosophy in 1968. Buzz loved his time at Stonehill and continued his connection with the college long after he graduated.

After Stonehill, Buzz stayed in Easton setting down roots to raise his family. He was an active participant in town sports and one of the founding fathers of Easton Soccer. Buzz actively participated in his children’s lives including coaching, counseling and mentoring and often relayed proud and loving stories of his children.

With his entrepreneurial spirit and marketing aptitude, Buzz founded and ran Beacon Financial Planning in South Easton, MA. Buzz thrived at Beacon where he truly loved what he did and was able to combine his financial acumen with his deep desire to help people better their lives. He prided himself on always being ethical and fair, and many of his clients became his close friends.

Buzz was always generous with not only his money but also his time. He was always the first to lend a helping hand and known by his friends and family to be an extremely kind man. Some of the ways he gave back to the community included serving as President of the Brockton Rotary Club, Member of the Board at Massasoit Community College Foundation and MainSpring House in Brockton (now Father Bill’s & MainSpring).

A true lover of life, Buzz enjoyed reading the Wall Street Journal every day cover to cover, walking, hiking, dancing and traveling. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to Walter’s visitation on Thursday, December 1, 2022 from 4 to 7 pm in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Timothy's Church, 650 Nichols Street, Norwood, Massachusetts on Friday, December 2, 2022, at 10:30 AM.  Interment will follow in Saint Francis Cemetery in Walpole.

Memorial donations can be made to Stonehill College or the Greater Boston Food Bank.